Puckers Vice-Champion France Trophée Loisirs
Photo by Jerome Junca
24 May 2016
An amazing and unbelievable run by the Puckers ended this Sunday against Meudon in the French Final.
Even though the Puckers were only runners-up and thus Vice-Champion France, it was a valiant effort throughout the season and especially in this Finals tournament to even get to this final game.
Meudon won the game in a very imposing way by a score of 15-1, scoring 4 goals in the first, 8 goals in the second and another 3 goals in the last period with Nick Aubin from Yves Barthels scoring the lone Puckers goal in the third.
Fatigue (third game in 60 hours) and age (average age of 42) were certainly a factor, but let's not take anything away from Meudon. They deserved to win and we congratulate them very sincerely.
Meudon and the representatives of the FFHG as well as the referees actually congratulated the Puckers for being such a courteous and fair team, for not lashing out even when the score was run up, for being goods sports and spreading a good mood in general. The Puckers had a blast and enjoyed the moment and the opportunity of being able to participate in the event. Lasting memories were made and the Puckers are certainly very grateful for that.
Even though the Puckers wore 11 different nationalities on their left sleeves, they held high their right sleeves with the Luxembourg Red Lion that they represented in this tournament with pride.
The Trophée Loisir championship has been organized for the first time in 2007 and since then, the Puckers were also the first team from the Divison Est to reach the Final game in only their second year. It was a good run as even the FFHG acknowledged in their article.
Link here: http://www.hockeyfrance.com/ffhg/actualites/actualites-competitions/item/12304-trophee-loisirs-premiere-pour-meudon
The title of Vice-Champion capped a long and successful season which saw the Puckers win the regular season standings with only one loss in 8 games. They then went on to beat Colmar in the semi-finals of the playoffs and finally beat Epinal in a hard-fought Division Est Final. In the 6-team final tournament in Meudon, they also beat Wasquehal and 2-time champion Français Volants to get the opportunity to play Meudon for the title.
On the team this year were:
Goal
Ferrari Federico
Rainer Matthias
Van der Kallen Thierry
Defense
Freimanis Ainars
Guillard Arnaud
Joachim Joffrey
Jozek David
Kostohryz Bohumil
Lundberg Niclas
Menguelti Alban
Schweitzer Cyril
Vahalik Bronislav
White Evan
Forwards
Ahlstrand Patrick
Aubin Nick
Barthels Yves
Donzel David
Jeanson Paul
Heinonen Miikka
Hult Peter
Lutov Mladen
Lutovs Vladimirs
Mekhaeel Michael
Schlundt Viktor
Vallée Charles
And of course our invaluable time-keeper Aender Kammer!
A proud bunch of guys that showed resilience, commitment and sportsmanship in representing Tornado, Luxembourg hockey and of course their own Puckers Nation!